SEAD (Scottish Education and Action for Development)

SEAD has been very lucky to have a body of loyal members who have supported our work through the years.

A large proportion of our members are still ‘1% campaigners’ – an initiative in the 1980s where people pledged to give 1% of their income towards progressive projects. If you would like to become an ordinary member or even a 1% campaigner, go to the ‘Support SEAD’ page.

We are also very grateful to the following funders who have supported ‘Switch On to Climate Change‘:

• The Department for International Development
• Awards for All
• The Robertson Trust
• The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
• The Cobb Charity
• The 1970 Trust

Other funders who have supported our work recently include:

• The Macrobert Trust
• The Oak Foundation
• The Polden Puckham Charitable Foundation

What is the history of the 1% campaign?

As Alan Sinclair wrote in his article in 1999 about the history of SEAD,

“For the sake of SEAD’s own financial stability and growth we needed to raise income of our own. I had done some of this in Third World First and was also attracted to the work of a radical campaigning organisation on Holland, that ran an ‘X-Y’ campaign. ‘X’ was the percentage of national income the United Nations had agreed we should spend on aid, and ‘Y’ was what we actually spent. What was required was for individuals to make up the difference and allocate their own cash to the cause. A 1% target was set by the united Nations. By grouping together projects in the Third World and Scotland along with SEAD’s educational campaigning we were trying to demonstrate the continuum that exists between people. ”

“In fundraising we were trying to break down the response that ends in mere emotion, where it’s fine to feel bothered when something is far away and anonymous. It is harder to support work that is on the side of the angels when you see the angels’ contradictions, foibles and warts. Winning 1% supporters meant going back to people who had been in and around SEAD’s work and upfront asking for their financial support and promising them something in return. That something was being part of a movement, part of an effort to get issues and insight on the Scottish agenda and move public opinion.”

You can support SEAD by becoming a member.